What happens in Vegas
by Joy Booth
Summary: The team takes a trip to Las Vegas. Will what happens in Vegas, stay in Vegas?
1. One wild night

Jake Stone was a man of the world. In his youth, he had sown his wild oats as much as any other handsome varsity quarterback in the middle of nowhere Oklahoma. So waking up with a naked woman in his bed wasn't an entirely new experience for him.

What was unique about this particular morning was that the woman in question happened to be Cassandra Cillian, his fellow librarian and the last woman on earth he should ever have slept with. He knew the minute Jones had suggested this impromptu trip to Vegas that it was a mistake.

He tried not to look at her, as he pieced together the night before. After recovering the Golden Fleece, Flynn had decided that they needed a break. Of course Jones had quickly suggested that they use the back door to go to Las Vegas and Cassie had surprisingly agreed.

Jake considered not going, but he was concerned about the looks Jones was giving Cassie, so he tagged along just to keep an eye on things. Flynn booked them rooms at Bellagio, so they headed there first to check in. While he was in his room, Jones had apparently convinced Cassie to hit the casino floor with him, and they were up two thousand dollars by the time he found them at the high rollers poker table.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" Jake said, tugging Cassie from the table when there was a break in the game. "Are you out of your mind counting cards in Vegas, Cass? Do you have any idea what they will do to you if you're caught," he whispered into her ear.

"If this is anything like Atlantic City, I don't think it will be a problem," she replied, quirking a smile. Jake sputtered for a moment in shock. "Don't worry, Stone, I know what I'm doing, and I am not even helping Zeke. He is just that lucky."

As the night went on, he started to relax and enjoy himself. When Cassie switched to craps, he even played with her for a bit. They were all winning and the feeling was intoxicating, or maybe it was all the free drinks. Every time Cassie won, she would jump into his arms and giggle like she had the first time she met Santa.

"I win!" she grinned excitedly after rolling snake eyes at the perfect time. "Can you believe it, Jake?"

"You know how amazing you are, Cass," he shrugged, though a small smirk showed through his tough guy mask.

At two in the morning, the action at the tables began to die down, and Cassie, who was full of energy after her big win, begged them to go dancing.

Jake was pulled from his memories by a rustling of covers. Before he could react, Cassie had rolled on her stomach, her arm draped over him, as she cuddled into his chest. He didn't breathe. If there had been any hope of this being an innocent mistake, it was erased by the sensation of her naked chest pressed to his.

"I win!" she mumbled in her sleep, clearly still dreaming of the night before. Looking around the room, he realized that it was hers. If he left now, she might never know about this little mistake and they could continue to work together without the cloud of awkwardness that generally followed a one night stand.

Carefully, he slid out from under her, taking time to tuck the duvet around her. It didn't take long to round up his clothes and a few minutes later he was back in his own room, trying to shower off the smell of honeysuckle that still clung to him.

Cassie woke with a smile. She felt more relaxed than she had in ages. Though her legs were a little sore, she chalked it up to the combination of dancing all night and the wicked hangover she knew was going to hit full force the moment she stood up. She was however a little surprised to find that she was completely naked. Then again, the clothes she had chosen to wear the night before had been very constricting, so maybe when she came in at god knew what time last night, finding PJs had just been too much work. Yes, that had to be the reason. It couldn't possibly have to do with the explicitly vivid dream she had had about Jake.

Knowing that she would feel better once she ate something, Cassie quickly got dressed, brushed her teeth, and headed downstairs, sending a text to both Zeke and Jake to join her if they wanted. She was already playing Keno and eating the biggest plate of waffles he had ever seen when Zeke slid into her booth.

"Hey there, sugar mama," he teased. "You leave any for the rest of us?"

"I was a bit hung over this morning," she admitted with a laugh.

"A little? I had 999 tap dancing gnomes in my head this morning," he joked before giving the waitress his own order. "Have you seen Jake yet? He was worse off than both of us put together."

"I texted him, but I haven't heard anything," she shrugged. She wasn't surprised that Jake had ignored her text. He had a habit of going off on his own. In fact, the real shock was him coming ago in the first place. They continued to chatter about the last case until both were done eating.

"Shall we hit the tables until it's time to go?" Zeke asked, offering her his arm like a gentleman.

"We shall," she agreed. Neither noticed Stone watching from across the room.


	2. In the Leaves

Almost a month passed where life was normal. They returned to the annex and worked cases and everything the same as it had ever been, until it wasn't any more.

Cassie was in Jinan, China investigating the appearance of a massive bamboo forest. The bamboo was so tall it was blocking air traffic. She was listening to the tea shop owner, Mr. Wong, tell her the legend of Sun Wukong and his magical staff, Ruyi Jingu Bang. It was an interesting story, but she couldn't help but wish that Jake was there. This was exactly the kind of thing that he would find fascinating, if he hadn't heard it already.

She wondered why he had been so distant in the last month. It wasn't all at once so much as she just saw less and less of him. Maybe it was just interesting cases, but maybe it was something more. She pondered the possibilities as she left the tea shop and headed back to the forest.

From what she had learned, she assumed that someone had found Sun's staff and was using it to turn ordinary plants into the colossal forest surrounding her. As she walked through the dense jungle, her head started to spin. She blinked to get rid of the dark spots marring her vision, but it was no use. She knew she was going to pass out, but something was different. There was no time to call anyone, before the forest floor starting moving toward her. She slumped and hit the ground with a solid thump.

The next thing she was aware of was the smell of incense and the feel of a soft mattress beneath her. She blinked several times before a shadowed room came into focus. She was just sitting up when Mr. Wong walked into the room.

"Oh dear child, you should stay down for a moment and drink some tea," he said, pushing a steaming cup into her hands.

"How did you find me?" Cassie asked, still feeling a little disoriented.

"My daughter works on the other side of the forest, she found you as she was walking home," he explained.

"Thank you so much for your kindness, but I really have to be going," Cassie said, but as she stood the room began to spin.

"Drink your tea child. When was the last time you ate?" he asked. She started to answer, but then she realized that she had felt nauseous and skipped breakfast in order to get a jump start on her investigation.

"Thank you so much for your concern, and the tea, but I'm fine," she lied, handing him back the empty tea cup.

"None of that, what would the ancestors do if I let you leave with nothing in your belly. No, dear, you sit and relax. I will go make some nice miso. It's good for the baby," he said as he stood.

"What baby?" she asked.

"Why, your baby, of course, I have seen it in your leaves. Such a strapping boy, just like his father," he mumbled as he moved out of the room.

Cassie sat in shock. She was doing the math. Math always calmed her, but as she calculated her cycle, she began to feel a sinking in her stomach. She was late. Two weeks late to be exact. That meant that she had probably gotten pregnant, if she even was pregnant, in Las Vegas.

Shame caused her cheeks to flush as she realized she had no idea who the father was. She remembered dancing with Jake and Zeke and then waking up alone in her hotel room. It had to be that night. Cassie wasn't one to go out, and she hadn't been on a date since she joined the library.

Mr. Wong came back and gave her a bowl of soup, which she ate numbly. She thanked him for his hospitality before she left the little tea shop for the second time and called Jenkins.

"I need to get home," she said simply.

"Have you finished the case already?" Jenkins asked in surprise.

"Jenkins, I need to come home right now," she said more firmly.

"Of course, Miss Cillian, the door will be right where you left it. Just give me a moment," he answered, trying to hide his concern.

She walked through the door like a zombie. She was pale and confused. Jenkins was waiting for her. He helped her into a chair, before he started asking questions.

Had anyone hurt her? She shook her head no. Was she under a curse? No, again. Was she okay? No. Was there anything he could do? On the last no, a single tear slid down her cheek. Jenkins called Colonel Baird, who came running in like an avenging angel, only to skid to a stop at the sight of Cassandra's state.

"What happened?" she demanded, glaring at Jenkins.

"I don't know," he glared right back. "She gave me her location. I sent her to China. Then she called and said she needed to come home. So, I reset the door, and then she just came in sat down, and hasn't said a word since."

"Cassie, what's wrong? Is it your head?" Baird asked gently, crouching down in front of the smaller woman. Cassie just shook her head again.

"Jenkins, call Stone in. He can always get to her," the Colonel ordered, fear gripping her heart as she tried to connect with the near catatonic woman in front of her.

A few moments later, the door lit up, and Jake came bustling in.

"What the big emergency?" he growled clearly annoyed at being called in.

"We have a situation," Baird said, gesturing at Cassie, who still hadn't moved an inch.

Immediately the irritation melted away and was quickly replaced with concern.

"Hey, Darlin'," he called softly taking over Baird's position. Like magic, her eyes began to focus. His voice was a soothing balm for her soul. Suddenly, she didn't feel like she was drowning any more. "That's it, Cass, come on back. Tell me whose ass I gotta kick now. But please don't tell me ya picked a fight with a dragon again."

Suddenly, the emotions she had been avoiding caught up to her all at once. Fear and shame and hopelessness all hit her full force and she threw herself into his arms, weeping uncontrollably. He just sat down on the floor and held her, rubbing her back and whispering in her ear. Eventually Jenkins and Baird wandered off, to give Cassie time to collect herself. When her tears became shuddered breaths, he felt safe to ask again.

She shook her head, if Mr. Wong was right, it was too awful. He would hate her. She decided to blame it on the brain grape. For the first time in her life, she was grateful for the tumor that would one day kill her.

She told him about the staff, and how she had been walking in the forest, and then sudden her brain was buzzing, and she called Jenkins and asked to be brought home. The end. It was a great story. It gave him the information he would need to retrieve the staff, without leading him to Mr. Wong and the _possible_ truth.

"Are you sure you are okay? Do you want to go to the hospital and get checked out?"

"No!" she answered a little too quickly. When his eyes widened in surprise she corrected her tone. "I just want to go home, Jake. Don't worry about me, I am sure it is nothing."

"Well, I'll drive ya home then," he smiled, relieved that she was finally beginning to act like her normal self again.

"No, I can drive myself. You were on a case. Go, save the world," she grinned a little too brightly.

"I don't think you should be driving," he pointed out, looking at her tear stained face and red eyes.

"Of course, yeah, I will get Colonel Baird to give me a ride," she agreed a little too easily. Jake was suspicious, but he did have a case to get back to.

"You're sure you're okay?" he asked one more time.

"Fit as a fiddle," she nodded.

"Well, if you're sure," he said doubtfully. "I am a phone call away."

"I know ya big lug. Now go," she said standing up and pushing him toward the door. Once the door was closed, she leaned against it and slid to the floor. A moment later, Jones walked in through the front door.

"Hey there bright eyes, what's got you down?" he asked, sliding down to the floor beside her.

"Do you remember when we went to Las Vegas?" she asked carefully.

"Of course, one of the best nights since I took this job. I made out like a thief," he joked, and she rewarded him with a chuckle.

Then came the hard part, but she had to ask. "Did I, you know, take anyone back to my room?"

"When I left you, you and Jake were headed to your rooms, but you never know. You may have snuck back out after Mr. Mother Hen made sure you got to your room," he shrugged.

_Jake, _she thought. It couldn't be that simple. Why wouldn't he have said anything? Then again, maybe he was embarrassed? Knowing him, he probably thought it was a mistake. It wasn't like she could ask him without making their already tense friendship get even more awkward. She shook herself from her thoughts when she realized she was getting all worked up over something an old man had read in her tea leaves. It _probably _wasn't even true, but there was only one way to know for sure.

"Hey, Zeke? Can you drive me home?" she asked sweetly.

"Of course," he grinned.

"And can we make a quick stop at Walgreens on the way?"

"Sure," he shrugged as he helped her up.

"And can we go through the Taco Bell drive through?"

"Absolutely! I've been craving a crunch wrap all week," he agreed, and this time it was her turn to grin as she thought about eating junk food and bonding with one of her best friends.


	3. Results are in

"How is it going in there, Cass?" Zeke called.

"I peed on my hand and now I can't see the stupid window," she whined, opening the bathroom door and gesturing to the pregnancy test sitting on the sink.

"I don't want to look at it," he choked, wrinkling his nose.

"But you have to!"

He glared at her for a minute, before walking into the bathroom.

"I'm not touching anything," he said raising his hands in the air, before looking at the stick. "I don't know. It kind of looks like… it could almost… Do you want me to go get another one?"

"Would you hate me?"

"No, but this time I am getting the digital one," he decided. Twenty minutes later, he was back with another test, and she disappeared into the bathroom again.

"Cassie?" he asked expectantly after a full ten minutes of raiding her fridge and flipping through every channel on TV.

"I'm waiting for the not," she answered, opening the door.

"I don't know what that means…" he frowned looking over her shoulder at the new test on the sink. It clearly read** Pregnant**.

"Well, the box says it takes time to process, and I am just waiting for the **Not** to show up," she explained as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Oi, I don't think it's coming, Mama," he tried to joke, but as soon as he said it, her eyes filled with tears.

"This can't be… This isn't the life I was supposed to… What if… I don't know…" she started zoning out, breathing in quick gasps.

"Hey now," he said, calmly leading her to the couch. "Everything is going to be fine. Kids are great. No one suspects you when you are pushing a pram."

She stared at him in disbelief, and then started to laugh.

"My baby is not going to be your partner in crime," she said, drying her tears.

"It was worth a try," he shrugged.

"What am I going to do, Zee?" she asked seriously.

"Are you sure Jake is the father?"

"Not exactly, I mean I have these memories from that night, but It could have been a hallucination. Maybe I wanted it to be him, but he rejected me, so my mind just made whoever into him. You know I remember the way he smelled like old books and sweat, and the way his hands felt when he…."

"Lalalalala, I love you Cass, but I cannot hear this. If you want my opinion, I think it was him. You didn't see the way he was looking at you all night."

"How was he looking at me?" she asked shyly.

Ezekiel struggled to think of the right words. "I guess it was like the way he looked at that Monet in Paris combined with the way he looks at a steak. Like complete awe and amazement combined with barely restrained hunger."

Cassie blushed. "But it is not like I can just go up to him and say, 'Hey I think we slept together and now I'm pregnant. Tada!' What if I'm wrong? What if it wasn't him? Then he will think I am a slut and he will know that I think about him, you know, like that."

"I think that ship has sailed. You two have been making bedroom eyes at each other for a LONG time."

"Ezekiel!" she blushed even more and avoided eye contact. "There is one other thing…"

He took her hand and squeezed it, knowing what she was thinking about.

"I have to go back to the doctor," she mumbled. It was the last thing she wanted to do. Every trip to the doctor was exactly the same. Sit in the waiting room surrounded by sick people and weeping families. Lay perfectly still for an hour in a rattling, shaking, booming tin can. Sit and wait while a doctor reads the report. Try not to be annoyed when the doctor acts sorry and explains there is nothing they can do. Only this time, the stakes were a lot higher.

The next day, Ezekiel was already in the library when Jake walked in.

"Hey, do you know where Cassie is? I was going to go with her today to finish up in China," Jake asked, looking around for her.

"She took a personal day," Zeke answered, supplying no further information.

"Well, is she alright? I mean, I know she had a headache yesterday, but she is usually fine the next day," Jake asked, concern evident in his features even though he tried to hide it. Zeke grinned. As much as Cassie was worried about Jake's reaction, Ezekiel knew Jake had feelings for her.

"Last night when we were at her place, she said she told you everything you needed to know about the case. She is as well as can be expected with what's going on with her…" Ezekiel said, knowing that his vague answer would make Jake even more suspicious and concerned than before.

"What's going on with her?" Jake asked.

"I think that is really her business, my friend. I sure if she wanted you to know, she would tell you. I mean, friends don't keep secrets about really important stuff, right?"

Jake's eyes narrowed and he blushed a bit.

_Ha, _Zeke thought. _He is totally the father. I wonder how long it will take him to man up and tell her._

"Well, I've got an appointment in Berlin, and you my friend are expected in China, so I guess I will see you around," Zeke grinned, spinning the globe before he stepped out the back door. If Jake had taken the time to look, he would have realized that Zeke was not in fact headed to Germany, but rather to Seattle Grace hospital. But he didn't look, he just spun the globe again and went to face his destiny.


	4. In the Leaves part 2

It took Jake most of the day to find the little hut in the center of the forest, where a young boy was holding the magical staff. The boy was scared. The government was after his father, and he built the forest so they could hide.

Jake had helped them get to some family members in the next province. Then he went back and began to use the staff to return the forest to its regular size. He was almost finished when the soldiers came. He hid the staff, but he couldn't get away fast enough. After a fierce fight, they left him for dead.

The next thing Jake was aware of was the smell of incense and a soft mattress beneath him. He blinked several times before the shadowed room came into focus. He when he sat up, he felt the familiar pain of bruised ribs. He tried to figure out where he was, but before he could come up with an escape plan, an old man came in.

"You must be Miss Cassandra's friend," the old man said, handing him a steaming cup of tea. "Sit, sit you are not quite well enough to travel just yet."

"How do you know Cassie?" Jake asked suspiciously.

"She was asking around the village about Ruyi Jingu Bang," the man explained, pointing to the staff leaning against the wall. "I told her the legend."

"Do you know what happened to her?" Jake asked. He thought the old man might know what had set off her breakdown.

"She found her reading unsettling," the old man answered cryptically.

"Her reading?"

The man took Jake's tea cup. "I think she was not ready to know her fate. Some find it easier to live in the darkness. You, Jacob Stone, have lived in the darkness for too long. When will you step into the light?" He studied the cup in his hands for a moment. "Soon, but I wonder if it will be soon enough?" he said finally.

Jake was annoyed. He had no idea what the man was going on about, but he didn't like it. He wasn't surprised that Cassie had gotten a headache. He was starting to get one of his own.

"I gotta get going. Thanks for the tea," Jake said as he stood.

"I hope you are there when she needs you the most," the old man said handing Jake the staff.

It didn't take long for Jake to get back to the annex. He had a split lip, a black eye and several bruised ribs, but as he came in the backdoor, all he felt was worry. He hoped that she had changed her mind and come in late, but he was greeted by Colonel Baird instead.

"God, Stone, what the hell happened to you?" she asked, getting out the first aid kit.

"I'm fine. Where is everyone else?"

"Cassie called in and said she needed a few days off," Baird answered knowing exactly who he was really wondering about.

Jake said nothing, but his mind raced. It must have been something really bad if she was taking a few more days. He thought about how smug Jones had been that morning. The thief knew what was going on with her. She had obviously trusted him enough to share what was going on with her. He wondered if Colonel Baird knew too, but felt too embarrassed to ask.

"I'm going to go give this to Jenkins," he said when she was done treating his cuts and bruises.

"You should put some ice on that eye," Baird yelled after him.

After he dropped off the staff, he drove to her house. Jones' car was in the spot next to hers. Jake could see the lights on in her apartment. He thought about going up, but he couldn't. He just waited in the dark until the lights went out. Jones never left.

It had taken the better part of the day to finally get her test results. The tumor was the same as it ever was, a grape. Dr. Shepherd was confident that he might be able to remove it completely, but he wouldn't operate while she was pregnant. He pointed out that sometimes the hormones the body produced during pregnancy could cause a tumor to grow. They just weren't sure what having the baby would do.

Cassie knew it was a risk, but it was something she had to do. She called Colonel Baird and said she needed a few days off. She needed time to decide if she could still be a librarian. She had to figure out a way to tell everyone, especially Jake. And speaking of Jake, she had to figure out if he was the father, and if he was, why he had run away.

Ezekiel was great the whole time. He brought her terrible hospital coffee. He told her jokes in the waiting room. He even broke into the jello cabinet for her. And when he got caught, he flirted his way into a date with a cute nurse.

It was all very amusing and kept Cassie from breaking down in the middle of the hospital. When they got back to her place, they ordered Chinese and Cassie let him pick any movie he wanted. The movie he picked was the original Italian Job. He spent the whole movie telling her all the things the thieves had done wrong.

She made up the couch for him, before she got in bed. Ezekiel was between apartments after a _misunderstanding_ with his landlord about cutting into the drywall to mount a safe. She had happily offered to let him crash with her until he found another place.

She was actually really happy to have him stay with her after so many years of being alone. It was a comfort to know that someone was right down the hall.

As she lay in bed she called out into the darkness, just like she had as a child. "Goodnight, John Boy!"

"Goodnight, Elizabeth!" he called back without missing a beat.

"I can't believe you know about the Waltons," she yelled, sitting up in bed.

"Life is full of surprises," he yelled back.

_Don't I know it, _she thought as she put her hand on her still flat stomach and flopped back into bed. _I wonder what your daddy will say when learns about you my little surprise. _


	5. What he heard

The days that Cassie was out of the office seemed to last forever. Time moved like a snail through tar. Jake came in first thing in the morning, opened his clippings book and started his research, but no one reminded him to take a break for lunch. No one distracted him with silly riddles. No one invited him for a drink after work. It was depressing.

In fact, Cassie's absence seemed to put everyone in a bad mood. Baird spent more time than ever in the training area. Jenkins locked himself in his lab. And as for Jones, the few times Jake saw him, the thief just glared at him.  
Finally Monday came. Cassie pranced into the annex with a heaping basket of muffins. She dragged everyone from their respective hiding places, and forced them to tell her all about the adventures she had missed. After that, she and Jones took a case from her book and disappeared through the back door.  
The rest of the week passed much the same way. Jake kept looking for a moment alone with Cassie, but she was always with someone else. On Wednesday, Flynn showed up and took her on some secret mission. Thursday, she was in the lab all day helping Jenkins with calculations for his latest experiment.  
On Friday, Jake got to the annex extra early, hoping to catch her alone before the rest off the team arrived. He was upstairs in the stacks when he heard her come in. He walked to the railing, but then he saw Jones follow her in. Jake was disappointed that the thief was with her, but he decided to step back into the shadows. All week he had been annoyed by the fact that every time he walked in the room, they immediately stopped talking. He had to know what they were up to, especially if Jones had convinced Cassie to do something terrible.  
"I am going to tell them," she said confidently.  
"You've said that every day this week, Cass," Jones answered.  
"And I want to, but what if they hate me?" she cried, slumping into her chair.  
"Not possible. Everyone here loves you."  
"Everyone except Jake maybe," she mumbled angrily.  
"I've told you, like, a thousand times, Stone doesn't hate you. He has just got in that HILLBILLY brain of his that he can't let anyone get close to him."  
Jake's hands tightened into fists, but he remained hidden.  
"What are they going to think when they know though? I have already had this situation with my parents. They had all these plans for me, and then I just failed them. I wasn't the girl they thought I was. Now, it is happening all over again. I made one stupid mistake and now all their plans are ruined."  
Jake felt like his heart had stopped. Something was wrong with Cassie.  
"Look, you heard what Dr. Shepherd said. This could all work out," Ezekiel said calmly. "But this stress, it's not doing you any good. The sooner they know, the sooner we can stop hiding. It's safer for everyone. You know you can't go out alone anymore. What if Baird sends us on separate cases?"  
"I'm going to tell them," Cassie insisted, standing and dancing her fingers across the artifacts around the room. "I know I have to tell them. I'm just… I'm not ready."  
"You want to go see if we can find Scheherazade's veil?" Jones offered. He was bored, and it was obvious that he wasn't going to win the argument, so why not have a little adventure.  
"I would like that very much," Cassie answered primly. Without another word, Jones spun the globe and they walked out the back door.  
Upstairs, Jake's mind raced. He pulled out his phone and googled Dr. Shepherd. It turned out he was one of the best neurosurgeons in the country. Putting the pieces together, Jake guessed that Cassie's tumor must have been growing. He was scared. For her firstly, she was too young to die. Then scared and sad for himself. Had he missed his chance? She had chosen to share her secret with Jones, of all people, instead of him.  
It wasn't fair. He wanted to be the one she leaned on for support. He knew he had been pulling away since the incident in Vegas, but he thought she would have reached out more. These long absences and avoiding him were totally out of character for her.  
Knowing that Cassie and Jones would probably be out for the rest of the day, Jake settled in to the research he needed for his next case.  
He may not have been there for her to lean on this last month, but that was all going to change.


	6. How's that for Awkward!

Chapter 6 – How's that for awkward?  
When Jake started paying attention again, everything he observed put him on edge. He watched her turn slightly green and excuse herself when Jenkins ate an egg sandwich. He noticed that she got tired easier. She yawned constantly and he even caught her napping at her desk once. When she went home at night, Jones was always right by her side.  
It had been a week since Jake overheard Jones and Cassie talking, and they still hadn't told them what was going on with her. Jake was tired of not knowing, when Baird dragged Jones off on a last minute errand, Jake saw his chance. Cassie was in the stacks, perusing a theoretical physics text. He didn't know how long the others would be gone, so he dove right in.  
"Hey Cass, I feel like I haven't talked to you in forever. Do you want to go grab a drink?" he asked, trying a little too hard to sound casual.  
"I can't," Cassie answered without looking up from her book. Jake was thrown. Never in a million years would he have expected her just blow him off like that.  
"Look, I know I have been distant lately, but I want to make it right. I want to… you know… mend our friendship. I want to be the one who has your back," he mumbled, feeling awkward.  
Cassie's eyes turned to him and she took a measured breath, turned green and ran. He found her puking into the garbage can a few aisles away.  
"God, are you alright?" he asked moving to pull her hair away from her face.  
"Please, don't you… smell…" she choked, still heaving.  
Jake sniffed himself inconspicuously. He didn't notice anything amiss. In fact, he had worn the cologne she had once said she liked.  
"I'm sorry, Jake. I … can you just take a few steps back?" she asked, looking up at him with a bone weariness that made him want to pull her into his arms. Instead, he stepped back a little further.  
"Can I get you anything? Want me to take you to the doctor?" he asked nervously.  
"I'm ok. Maybe just a cup of ginger tea? I don't need to see a doctor. This is to be expected with my condition, it only gets worse I hear," she sighed.  
Jake just looked at her for a long time. It was exactly what he thought. She was dying. When she looked at him expectantly, he rushed downstairs to make her tea. While it was brewing, he went to the bathroom and tried to rinse most of his offensive odor off.  
When he handed her the cup, she didn't turn green again, he smiled and sat down next to her.  
"So the sensory overload thing is getting worse?" he asked cautiously.  
"In a manner of speaking," she answered evasively.  
"How long do you have?" he asked, sure he didn't want to know the answer.  
"Uh… I'm not dying, Jake. Not anymore than any other day," she answered with a combination of confusion and annoyance.  
"You're not? Then what the hell is wrong with?" he yelled, very confused himself.  
"I'm p… you know, before I tell you, I need to ask you a weird thing," she said suddenly changing her mind mid sentence.  
"Okay?"  
"Can you tell me where you woke up, the night we stayed in Vegas?"  
Jake blushed. "I… uh… well you see, I don't want you to get upset or anything, but it… I was…" he cleared his throat and gathered his courage. Now or never. "The thing is we slept together. And I was going to talk to you about it. I was going to, you know, explain that it was a mistake, and that we should just be friends, but I didn't want things to get awkward between us, so I left. I figured you wouldn't remember and we could just pretend it never happened."  
Cassie looked at him as if he had lost his mind.  
"I don't know where to start," she grumbled, standing and turning to glare at him. "First of all, there was that whole 'I didn't think you would remember, so I left you' bit. Then there was the I decided it was a mistake thing. Of course, if you 'decided' it was a mistake, who am I to argue. And finally, rounding off the biggest line of bullshit I've ever heard, 'I didn't want to make it awkward'. Well, big news, I'm pregnant! How's that for awkward!" she hollered, before she turned on her heels and ran.  
He sat there for a solid ten minutes not processing a thing. He just gaped at the spot where she had been standing. The word pregnant echoed through his mind like a tornado, destroying everything he thought he knew. She was pregnant with his baby.  
By his calculation she was nearly 10 weeks, most of the way through the first trimester, and he had missed it. He had missed doctor's appointments, and holding her hand as they waited for the stick to turn pink. He had a pretty good idea who had taken his place, and it made his blood boil.  
He was still processing when he heard the backdoor open.  
"OI, Cassie, you still here?" the Australian called up the stairs. In a matter of seconds, Jake had flown down the stairs, and punched Jones right in the face.  
"What the hell, Stone?" Baird yelled, immediately dropping to her knee to check the younger man's injury.  
For his part, Jones just grinned. "I take it she finally told you," he whistled, and Baird had to keep Jake from trying to hit him again.


	7. We're a family

When Jake finally quit trying to deck Jones, Baird let him go.  
"What was that all about?" she asked again.  
"Nothing!" Jake snapped, grabbing his pack and walking out the door.  
Three hours later, he was parked outside of Cassie apartment. Jones' car was still there, but he couldn't wait any longer. He knocked, and she answered right away.  
"I wondered how long you would wait outside," she mumbled, almost to herself. "Ezekiel is crashing on my couch, so if you want to talk, we are going to have to do it in my room."  
When he didn't say anything she grabbed his hand and pulled him down the hall.  
His mind flashed to that night. It was just like this, she was pulling him down the hall, only that night she was laughing. _Her laughter was bubbly and intoxicating. She got to the door and batted her eyelashes at him. He smiled. She said something about a nightcap. He was only to happy to agree. She poured them each a glass of complimentary Champagne. Some spilled on her dress, and she laughed even harder._  
_"Hold this!" she giggled, pushing the glasses into his hands. _  
_In the next moment, her dress hit the floor. She was standing there in just her bra, panties and knee socks. He wanted her. He wanted every inch of her pressed against him. As if his wishes were heard by a genie, the next second, she had closed the distance. One delicate hand raked slowly down his body, as the other put the champagne glasses on the night stand._  
_"Jake, I want this. I need you. Please," she whispered. _  
_He was taken by the look in her eyes. It was desire and hunger and the sweetest hints of true affection. She wanted him. Not the sex, though that would be nice. What she wanted, what she needed, was him. He couldn't deny her. _  
_Pulling her into his arms, he carried her to the bed. He was trailing kisses down her body, worshipping her for the goddess she was, but it wasn't enough. She was demanding more. Her hands drifted lower, grazing his hips…_  
"Jake? Hello? Hey, is anyone home?" she said snapping her fingers in front of his face. He looked around. Great, he was sitting on her bed and she was right between his knees. When she saw recognition in his eyes, she stepped back.  
"Where did you go? You aren't starting to get my hallucinations, are you? The doctor promised they weren't contagious," she mumbled with an obvious teasing note. He smiled.  
"I was thinking about something," he shrugged.  
"Well, now that I have your attention, I will let you know tell me what you came to tell me," she mumbled, looking nervous.  
"I didn't come to tell you anything, Cass. I mean, I was going to tell you I'm here for you, but that is all. I just wanted to know how you're doing with all of this. I wanted to know what it means for your health and if there was anything I could do to help. You know, other than throw out that cologne that made ya sick. I did, by the way. I just miss bein' around ya. That is why I asked you out for a drink. Now I get why ya turned me down though."  
Cassie was shocked at his complete acceptance of the situation. She stood gaping for a moment, before she had to take a step back to keep from kissing him.  
"So, you're not upset? I mean you said that night was a mistake, and I know you don't trust me…"  
"Darlin', I am the farthest from upset a man can be. You are having my baby. I… I can't even tell you how amazing that is, but I need to know what that means for you. I mean, with everything going on in your head, are you sure you can handle the stress of a pregnancy?" he asked, concern evident in every line on his face.  
"The doctor said it was a risk, but he also said it was entirely possible that I could have a completely normal pregnancy," she said sitting next to him and taking his hand in hers.  
"And so far?"  
"So far, so good. His heart beat is strong, and this week he is developing joints."  
"He?"  
"It's just something that Mr. Wong said. He said my baby would be strong, like his father."  
"Mr. Wong from the tea shop?" Jake asked, remembering that day in China, how she had gotten sick.  
"Uh, yes, that is how I found out. I passed out in the jungle after I skipped breakfast, and then Mr. Wong's daughter brought me to his shop and he gave me miso soup. He said it was good for the baby, and that's when I started to figure it out," she explained.  
"Ya can't be skipping meals, sweetheart," Jake said softly, running his hand over her hair and down her cheek.  
"I know that. I have been taking much better care of myself since then," she promised.  
"We gotta tell Baird and Flynn," he said, suddenly remembering that they were still in the dark.  
"I will. Now that you know, there is no need to hide it, but if you don't want them to know it is yours…"  
"Stop right there, missy. This baby is mine. Ain't no way I'm not claiming it."  
She grinned at him, but then averted her eyes. "They are going to want to know what we are," she whispered, embarrassed that they would all know he didn't want her.  
"We're a family," he said firmly, pulling her chin up so she had to look at him. "If anyone has a problem with that, I will remind them very kindly how much I care what they think."  
Cassie didn't know what to say to that. She hoped that it meant they were on their way to being a couple, but she wasn't brave enough to come right out and ask. When she yawned, Jake noticed immediately.  
"It's late, Cass. I'm sorry. I know how tired you've been lately. I should go. See you in the morning?"  
"I'll walk you out," she agreed. She wanted to ask him to stay, but she knew it was too soon. She did kiss his cheek when they got to the door, though.  
"Good night," she whispered.  
"Sleep tight," he answered, as he walked out the door. "Don't forget to lock the deadbolt."


	8. Set him straight

Surprisingly, telling the rest of the team wasn't that big of a deal. Colonel Baird went in to hyper-overprotective mode, but Flynn took it in-stride, much like everything else in his life.  
"Our first library baby?" he announced. He was always excited to start a new adventure. Colonel Baird stared at him.  
"Flynn, are you even thinking about the danger Cassie is in?"  
"Of course, of course, but what better way to protect her than to keep her close," Flynn answered thumbing through the card catalog.  
It was Jenkins' response that was the most surprising. Cassie was totally ready to hear the old man grumble about his library being no place for a child, but he simply asked Jake to join him in the lab for a moment. They all watched with a mixture of confusion and concern as the men left the room.  
"Being a father is a major responsibility," Jenkins began.  
"I know that…"  
"No, this is how this discussion is going to go. I talk. You listen," the older man interrupted.  
Jake nodded.  
"Miss Cillian is an extraordinary woman. She has lived through more pain than you can even imagine. There is a reason she was chosen as Prince Charming. She will bravely, blindly, fight for truth and justice. She is the defender of all that is good in the world, but she is unaccustomed to putting her own needs ahead of others. You must be the one to make sure she remembers to take care of herself. I know that you have questioned her loyalty, but that has to stop now. You can either treat her with the respect she deserves or you will not be welcome in my annex."  
"I know what happened with your father, Jenkins. I know what it means to be a father. I had one who wasn't worth the time of day. I love Cassie. I'm not going to screw this up," Jake said seriously.  
"You say that, but I have been watching you. You are not acting like a man in love. You are acting like… pardon my language, you are acting like an ass."  
Jake's eyes widened. He was shocked at Jenkins' blunt assessment, but as he thought about his behavior, he knew that the older man was right. Every decision he had made since that morning in Las Vegas was a mistake.  
"You're right. I'm gonna do better. I am going to be better. But, can I get you to promise me something?" Jake asked a little embarrassment making his voice quiet.  
Jenkins raised an eyebrow in question.  
"Can you just promise that if you see me starting to slip again, you'll drag me in here and set me straight?"  
"Of course," Jenkins smirked, before opening the door in dismissal.  
As he walked out of the lab, he felt her eyes on him. He looked up and she was looking at him expectantly. He shook his head to show her that it was all fine, then joined the others who were discussing what new protocols were needed to keep Cassie and the baby safe.  
At lunch time, Jenkins noticed that Jake made sure Cassie stopped working long enough to eat something. Later that day, Jake caught up to Jones and thanked him for being there for Cassie when he had been too stupid and stubborn to be aware of her condition. He also apologized for punching the thief in the face.  
"No worries man. I am just happy she finally told you so someone else can be in charge of the late night Taco Bell runs now," Zeke laughed.


	9. Set her straight

Once everyone knew, time passed quickly. Days turned into weeks and then months. They developed a routine. They worked, went to doctors' appointments and spent time together getting to know each other outside of work. It was a little awkward with Jones sleeping on the couch, but he eventually found his own place.  
The call came at 3 in the morning. Jake was sound asleep when he heard an incessant beeping. It took his brain a moment to register that it was his phone ringing. Once it did, his hand shot out like lightning.  
"Cass?" he answered in a panic.  
"Hey, I know you were probably sleeping, but would you come over here?" she asked.  
"I'll be there in ten," he answered, hanging up before she could say anything else  
Five minutes later, he was knocking on her door, sweat matting his hair to his forehead.  
"What's wrong?" he panted.  
"Calm down. Nothing's wrong. I just wanted to show you something," she grinned, pulling him into the apartment. Once they were settled facing each other on the couch, she took his hand and pressed it to her rounded stomach.  
"What are you…" Then he felt it. The faint thump of the baby kicking."Is that what I think it is?"  
"Yeah," she grinned shyly. "I just wanted you to be the first one to feel it."  
"This is amazing, Cass! God, I lo…"  
"Please, don't Jake. We have a good thing going here, but I can't… I know you don't feel the way I feel about you. If you start saying that when you don't really mean it, it just ruins this," she whispered pulling away and averting her eyes.  
"Cassie, I know I haven't said it to you yet, but I do love you," he promised.  
"It's not possible. I think you are just confused because I am carrying your baby. There is no way you can love me," she insisted.  
"Why would you say that?"  
"Because you left. I know we agreed to move forward and not talk about that night, but you left me. It was a mistake, that is what you said. I threw myself at you. You walked away," her voice hitched, as tears rushed down her face.  
"Oh, darlin', it was never about me not caring about you. I told you a long time ago. I liked you the moment I laid eyes on you. I knew that exact moment that you were the woman for me. But after I found out about the tumor, and the whole brotherhood mess, things got more complicated. I didn't like that I was already so attached. We work together. I can't focus on the work, when you are all I can think about. When I woke up that morning, I knew that if I stayed, I would never be able to leave. I was… I'm just going to say it, I was scared and stupid. Walking out on you, now that, was the biggest mistake of my life."  
"So… you love me?" she asked slowly, her eyebrows pinched as if the idea was completely impossible.  
"Yes, Cassandra Seraphina Cillian, I love you."  
"And you like me?"  
"I love you and I like you," he confirmed, chuckling at her adorable expression.  
Without another word, she leaned in to kiss him.  
"Wait, wait, wait," Jake grinned, holding her at arm's length. "Now it is your turn. You have to tell me how you feel."  
"I feel like the color yellow, the smell of Christmas trees and fresh baked cookies," she teased him.  
"And what exactly does that translate to?"  
"Happiness, home, contentment, love," she sighed. "I love you, Jacob Uriah Stone. I have for a long time and I don't think I could stop if I tried."  
"Well let's never test that theory. Ok?"  
"On one condition," she answered, her eyes twinkling with mischief.  
"Anything," he promised.  
"Kiss me."  
Not needing any further encouragement, Jake pulled her into a deep kiss. Their hands were quickly exploring every patch of skin they could find. Shirts went flying as did Jake's belt. He was working on removing her pants, when she stood suddenly.  
"We can't do this," she said firmly.  
"I'm sorry. Is it too soon? Did I hurt ya?" he asked, dread flooding his heart.  
"No, god silly, I mean on the couch. We can't do it on the couch. I am not as small as I used to be, and I don't want to fall off, right when it is getting good," she explained, pulling him toward the bedroom. "Now drop your pants and get in here!"  
"Yes, Ma'am," Jake grinned. He had never put much thought into it, but it appeared that Cassie was as bossy in bed as she was everywhere else. He couldn't wait to see what she had in store for him.


	10. Who she was

"Would you two stop making out already? You're making me sick," Zeke whined when he went searching for Cassie and Jake and found them in the stacks up to their usual shenanigans.  
"Did you need something Jones?" Jake asked without moving from his place on the love seat.  
"Yeah, Baird says we have a case that is going to take all of us. She wants to brief everyone in ten minutes."  
"Ok, we will be right down," Cassie said, but she giggled as Jake's hot breath tickled her neck. Zeke walked away making gagging sounds.  
"God, seriously. you too, I'm going to get a fire hose!" Baird threatened from downstairs.  
"Snitch!" Jake said, glaring at Zeke as they walked down the stairs.  
The younger man just smirked.  
"Get along, children," Flynn clucked as he swept in from the main library. "We have an exciting adventure today and everyone needs to be on their A game."  
"What is it? Ogres? Mummies? Big foot?" Cassie asked excitedly.  
"No, sadly, none of those. Today our quest is for a belt," Flynn announced. Everyone stared at him as if he was crazy.  
"A belt?" Jake asked the question everyone was thinking.  
"Not just any belt. Thor's belt, Megingjord," Flynn explained.  
"Thor, as in Thor hammer?" Eve asked, though she wasn't particularly shocked anymore. At this point, Flynn could tell them they were hunting were-rabbits, and she would simply go find a bow.  
"Yes, that Thor. There has been a rash of violence in Philadelphia, and indications show that the belt may be the cause," Flynn continued.  
"It gives the wearer extra human strength, and increases levels of testosterone and adrenaline. It would very dangerous in the wrong hands," Jake added.  
"Let's get a move on then," Cassie said, moving toward the door.  
"Maybe you should sit this one out, darlin'," Jake replied quietly.  
"Jake, I am seven and a half months pregnant. I haven't had a single problem so far. I want to go out with you guys. I can help," she declared, but then he gave her that worried look, and she softened a bit. "I promise I will be extra careful."  
"Fine, but you have to tell us if you are feeling even the slightest bit tired," Jake finally agreed. She grinned her little 'I win' grin.  
They team had split into groups, Eve, Flynn and Jake were investigating the gym that seemed to be the source of the violent outbursts. Meanwhile, Jones and Cassie were sent to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The Museum was hosting an exhibit of Viking artifacts and the team agreed that it was likely the belt had been stolen from it.  
Cassie was staring at Mont Sainte-Victoire by Cézanne, wishing that Jake was there to see it, when she heard a familiar voice.  
"Cassandra?" her mother called out in shock.  
"Hello, Mom, Dad, good to see you," she said calmly.  
"Cassandra, what are you doing here? We thought you were living in Boston," her father asked.  
"I'm on vacation. I was just…"  
"Is it safe for you to be… wandering around like this? What if you have an episode?" her mother interrupted. Before Cassie could say anything, her mother noticed the elephant in the room. "Cassandra Cillian, are you pregnant?" she asked in abject horror.  
"Cass, I found the curator," Ezekiel called, coming from the opposite direction. "I explained about the exhibit we are hoping they will host, so he agreed to talk to us."  
"Who is this, Cassandra? Is he the father? What is he talking about?" her father asked, glaring at Zeke.  
For her part, Cassie just looked from one person to the next, until the stress got to her and she slipped into a hallucination. Ezekiel's reaction was immediate. He had his arms around her in a matter of seconds and was already dialing Jake's number.  
"We have a situation. Everything is fine, but you need to get to the museum," Zeke said into the phone, before hanging up to focus on Cassie.  
"Honesty, Cassandra, the dramatics are unnecessary," her father muttered with disgust.  
"Oi, I don't know who you are buddy, but you might want to back the hell off. My friend is sick and she doesn't need an audience," Zeke glared right back at the well dressed couple.  
"I am Cassandra's father and I demand you treat me with respect, boy," the man sniffed indignantly.  
"Then maybe start acting like you deserve it ya miserable old coot."  
"Do we have a problem here?" the security guard asked, noticing the commotion.  
"Yes, we have a problem. This hooligan is distressing my wife," Mr. Cillian announced much louder than necessary.  
"Oh, I haven't even begun to distress you. If I wasn't worried about your daughter, I would take you outside right now and show you how we deal with deadbeats in my neck of the woods," Ezekiel threatened.  
"Sir, I am going to have to ask you to…"  
"Do we have a problem here?" Colonel Baird asked, interrupting the security guard.  
"Um… there seems to be a bit of a dispute," the man said, stuttering slightly under Baird's intense glare.  
"I'll take it from here," she announced in curt dismissal. The guard nodded and stepped away, for no other reason than Colonel Baird scared the hell out of him. While Baird was dealing with the security guard, Jake had manage to pull Cassie out of her head.  
"Now what's got ya all twisted up, darlin'?" he asked when her eyes cleared.  
"Umm, my parents… these are my parents," she said slowly. "Mother, Father, let me introduce you to my friends Ezekiel Jones and Colonel Eve Baird and this is Jacob Stone, my…"  
"The man who knocked you up and signed your death certificate?" her father offered. The whole team stared in shock. Cassie tightened her grip on her boyfriend's arms as she felt his muscles tensing.  
"He is the father of my baby and my boyfriend," she answered a little defiantly. "Now, it's been great catching up, but we have things to do. So… see you in another ten years?"  
"Cass are you sure you don't want to sit down for a bit or go back home?" Jake asked, focusing all his energy on Cassie and not killing her father in front of her.  
"I'm fine, babe. I'm sure," she grinned at him.  
"We had such high hopes for you," her mother said wistfully. "What a waste…"  
If there was one thing that Cassandra was tired of, it was other people telling her how to live her life. Rage she hadn't felt since the apple of discord, welled up in her and turned on her parents with fire in her eyes.  
"You know what, MOM? I don't giving a f*** what your hopes were. I have a good life. A great life. It started getting better the day I left home, but it got great when I met people who love me unconditionally. Jake is a good man and these people are my family and if you have a problem with that I don't care. These people that you look down on have seen the worst in me and they still love me, they are still there for me every day, which is more than I can say for you. Now, I have a job to do. Be gone when we get back and make sure I never run into you again," she warned before turning to Zeke. "Let's go find the curator."  
Not knowing what else to do, everyone took her lead. Ezekiel led the team to the curator's office. The rest of the day, no one brought up her parents. They went about their work, retrieved the belt and set right all the problems it had caused.  
It wasn't until she was laying in bed almost asleep that Jake felt like he could bring it up.  
"Do you really think you will never see them again?" he asked carefully.  
"Jake, my parents weren't parents. They were scientists and I was their biggest failed experiment. I hadn't seen them since I left home. Seeing them today just reminded me of all the reasons I left," she sighed sadly.  
"But forever is a long time," he replied. Even though he still wanted to kill her parents for treating her like that, he still knew they were her parents.  
"Family isn't always blood. It's the people in your life who want you in theirs; the ones who accept you for who you are. The ones who would do anything to see you smile and who love you no matter what," she said.  
"Well, then thank you for being my family Cassie. I don't know how I got so lucky, but I am damn grateful."  
"You got so lucky, because when I was falling, you caught me. I am not the girl they wanted me to be, but you don't ask me to be who I'm not. You love me for who I am," she smiled.


	11. What she hid

"Cass, we are going to be late to work. Are you coming?" Jake called from the kitchen.  
"Yep, be right out. I just have to brush my teeth," she called back, washing the last of the blood from under her nose. The tumor has ruined so many things in her life. She used to love the color red. It reminded her of a field of poppies. Now every time she saw red, she smelled blood, even if she wasn't bleeding. But today, red was blood, the same as every other morning this week. She was scared, but she knew if she told them, they would worry, so she hid it. At 35 weeks the baby had a great chance at survival, so she kept quiet.  
"Seriously, Darlin', it's almost nine," Jake complained opening the bathroom door to check on her.  
"I'm coming," she said, the hand with the towel flying behind her back.  
"Was that blood?"  
"Yep, cut myself shaving, you know, this baby isn't making it easy to reach…" she stopped mid-sentence as she felt the blood dripping down her face again.  
"When did it start?" he asked calmly.  
"It's nothing, just stood up too quick," she answered in an overly bright tone.  
"When?"  
"Just the last couple days…"  
He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow in disbelief.  
"A week, ok? It has been happening on and off for a week, but Dr. Shepherd said this would happen. Pregnancy is stressful for anyone. My body is just trying to deal with the stress. No big deal. If it gets worse, I'll tell you," she promised.  
"Like you told me about this?"  
"I didn't want to worry you," she explained.  
"So you lied."  
"I didn't, I didn't lie, I omitted."  
"You know you lied," he repeated.  
"I know I lied," she shrugged sheepishly, "but there is nothing you can do. I didn't want to worry you, when there is nothing you can do. I just need to relax."  
"Well, I could actually help you with that," Jake grinned, winking at her.  
Cassie rolled her eyes.  
"But seriously, let me call in real quick and then we are going on a road trip," Jake said. He disappeared into the bedroom, and returned five minutes later with a backpack. They drove for a while, but he refused to tell her where they were headed. After stopping at a general store in the middle of nowhere, they finally reached their destination.  
"Where are we?" she asked, looking around at the seemingly endless forest in every direction.  
"We are in the middle of Crater Lake National Park. I came hiking here on one of my days off before we got together, and I found this place," Jake explained. He lead her through the forest about twenty yards to a clearing with a small pond.  
"It's a natural hot spring, well warm spring. It is a perfect ninety eight degrees."  
"But I don't have…"  
Before she could finish her sentence, he had pulled a towel and maternity bathing suit from the backpack. They changed, and got into the water which was only six feet at its deepest point. As soon as Cassie was in the water, she could feel her muscles starting to relax. She floated like a mermaid, just drifting in the gentle ripple of the pond. Jake couldn't take his eyes off of her. She looked absolutely beautiful and completely at ease.  
"You were right," she called to him after a long while.  
"Would you mind saying that again?" he teased.  
"Haha. If you insist, but don't get used to it," she laughed, as he came up behind her and started kissing her neck. "You were right, Jake. This is exactly what I needed. I should have trusted you."  
"In the interest of full disclosure, you were right to," he said between kisses. "I am really freaked out. We knew it was possible that the baby might cause you some trouble, but I thought we were in the clear. I mean we are so close now. This baby could come in a few weeks."  
"I know, I got complacent too. I thought I was safe, but this is just one more thing that stupid brain grape is going to ruin for me," she sighed.  
"I know about the grapes, but what else did it ruin?" he asked, concern in his voice.  
"Oh, just you know the color red, the smell of lilies and archery," she answered.  
"Well I get the color red thing, but lilies? Archery?"  
"Lilies are what people send to people who are dying. They are known in hospitals as death flowers. As for the archery, I used to be a pretty good shot. I won a few trophies. My parents didn't love it, but it looked good on college applications, so they let me compete. But you can't play with a dangerous weapon when your brain could short circuit at any moment. When I got my diagnosis, the bow went wherever all the trophies did."  
"I'm sorry Darlin'. It wasn't fair of them to just take all your stuff," Jake mumbled, adding another to the long list of reasons he disliked her parents.  
"It isn't so bad. The tumor gives me things to," she grinned mischievously.  
"Like what?" he asked.  
"Like, you were right, I woke up that morning in Vegas and all I could remember was dreaming about you," she said shyly.  
"So I am in your dreams?" he teased.  
"Yes, you are always in my dreams, babe, but that isn't the point. After you moved in, I was putting away laundry one day and I saw the shirt you wore that night. The vision of the shirt mixed with the smell of your cologne, replayed the memory of that night. Now I can remember it all."  
"All?" he choked.  
"Yes, every last minute of it is burned into a synapse with that shirt. That is why I blushed so hard when you wore it the other day. By the way, after the baby is born, I want to do that thing we did in the shower again."  
"Really?"  
"Really!"  
They spent almost two hours relaxing in the water. Then they ate a picnic lunch Jake had picked up that the general store. They were back home by late afternoon. After some argument, Cassie went to work the next day, but she promised to stay in the annex doing desk work until the baby came. Fortunately, she didn't have to wait very long.


	12. The day came

Cassandra Cillian woke at exactly 5:04 on May 4th. She just knew that something was going to happen. She laid in bed for an hour watching Jake sleep, before she got up and made breakfast. She made pancakes, eggs and bacon, but the smell was unpleasant, so she just had a glass of juice.  
"Good morning, Beautiful," Jake murmured as he entered the kitchen pressing a kiss to her forehead. "You shouldn't have gone to all this trouble."  
"It was nothing. I was up and I love you," she answered.  
"I love you too, Darlin'."  
When they got to the library, everyone was already there except Ezekiel. Baird announced that they had a case, and then proceeded to argue every detail of said case with Flynn while trying to brief them. Cassie was, of course, staying in the annex. They were about ready to go when Zeke finally strolled in.  
"Jones, you are on the missing ring," Flynn called.  
"Got it," Zeke nodded as if he had been there the entire time. Jake glared at him.  
They had been gone for an hour, when she felt it. A little pinch in her back that eased after a minute. Assuming it was a Braxton Hicks contraction, because she was only 38 weeks, she ignored it. At noon, Jenkins reminded her to eat something. She wandered through the little kitchenette for several minutes, but nothing looked good. She settled on a banana and returned to her reading. After a while, she got restless and started pacing through the stacks.  
She was in the ancient Babylonian section when she suddenly felt like she had peed her pants.  
"Oh god," she whispered to herself. "Maybe it's not… oh god, JENKINS!" she screamed. She was ambling down the stairs when he finally showed up.  
"You bellowed?" he sniffed.  
"Yes, my water just broke in ancient Babylonian. You might want to get a mop," she joked, laughing at her own silliness as she sunk into her chair.  
"Are you sure?" Jenkins asked suspiciously.  
"Judging by the trail of water, I'd say yes."  
"I'll call Mr. Stone."  
"No, no, I can do it, we have plenty of time. Most first time labors last 18- 24 hours," Cassie explained, already dialing Jake's number.  
"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked as soon as he picked up the phone.  
"Nothing, my water just broke, so whenever you get done we need to go to the hospital," she answered as if she was simply reminding him to pick up milk.  
"YOUR WATER BROKE?" he yelled in a panic.  
"Yes, but I am not even feeling any contractions yet, so take your time."  
"I will be there in five minutes Cassandra. Don't move!"  
True to his word, four and half minutes later, Jake came running through the door followed by the rest of the team.  
"It's baby day!" Flynn grinned. "You know your baby will share it's birthday with Bartolomeo Cristofori, the Italian instrument maker who created the first piano."  
"As fascinating as that is, we need to get to the hospital," Jake said, helping Cassie up from her chair.  
"Honestly, Jake, what's the rush. We have hours before this baby is coming," she laughed, rolling her eyes at him.  
"Will you just humor me?" Jake frowned.  
"If you insist. Ezekiel remember what we talked about," she said over her shoulder as he pulled her through the door. They walked to the maternity floor in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.  
"Hi, my name is Cassandra Cillian and I am in labor," she said to the woman sitting at the nurses' station.  
"Oh honey, are you sure? You don't look like you are in pain. Has your water broken?" the nurse asked.  
"Yes, about an hour ago now. I am feeling a bit of pressure, but no real pain."  
"Alrighty, let's get you in a room and see where you are at," the nurse smiled. "My name is Erica by the way."  
"Nice to mmmmmmeet you Erica," Cassie hummed a bit as the pinch in her back acted up again.  
Once she was changed into a gown and in bed, the nurse checked her, looked at her clearly confused and then checked her again.  
"Well? Am I not in labor?" Cassie asked curiously.  
"Oh no sweetie, you are in labor, alright. You are dilated to nine. It is nearly push time. I have just never seen someone so calm at this stage before. Are you sure you haven't been having contractions?"  
"There has been a pinch in my back, but other than that," she shrugged, sure that the nurse was just confused. There was no way she was almost ready to…but as soon as she thought the word push, the overwhelming need to push hit her full force.  
"How long until the doctor gets here?" Cassie croaked.  
"I will page him again," Erica said before speaking into a little transmitter on her scrub top.  
"We are doing this now?" Jake asked in shock. Erica's eyes were on Cassie. When Jake looked down, he saw that she was lost in her mind.  
"Can't do that right now sweetheart. I need you to stay here with me," he whispered in her ear.  
"Just mmmmmmeasuring force ratios," she mumbled back quietly.  
It took a minute for what she said to process.  
"No, NO, no, Darlin', you can't push just yet. Remember we are waiting on the doctor," he reminded her, looking at Erica for support, but Erica was working on rearranging the bed for delivery.  
Dr. Stevens was still putting on her gloves as she walked into the room. "Who's ready to have a …"  
"Doctor, she is crowning."  
Without another word, the doctor swept into action, delivering a perfectly healthy 7 pound 13 ounce baby boy. To say that everyone was shocked when they got the call that he was born was an understatement. The whole team came that night, showering them with an enormous teddy bear from Flynn, flowers from Colonel Baird, a engraved silver baby spoon from Jenkins and a world's greatest mom trophy from Zeke.  
"You got a name for the little ankle biter yet?" he asked as he held the baby. "Ezekiel is always a nice choice."  
"We actually already had one picked out, Zeke. I'm sorry," Cassie laughed.  
"Well?" Colonel Baird asked, surprising everyone.  
Jake took the baby from Ezekiel and held him close.  
"Everyone, we would like you to meet William Isaac Stone. Will, this is your family," he announced proudly.


	13. Who he is

Will was a week old, when Jake asked Cassie to go home with him. His sister Jessica was getting married. He had told his sisters about Cassie and the baby, but this was their first chance to actually meet.  
Jake was the oldest of five. He was the only boy. After him came Jessica, Jaime, Jennifer and Jasmine. He had practically raised them after his father left. Even after joining the library, Jake continued making weekly phone calls to check in on each of them. They were all anxious to meet the woman who had stolen their big brother's heart.  
Cassie was nervous, but there was no need to be. She was welcomed with open arms. They dragged out photo albums and compared baby pictures. She heard all the stories. The time Jake 'borrowed' Mr. Howard's truck and drove it into the lake. The time he ate a whole watermelon on a dare. They laughed at the times he stayed up all night helping them finish projects they had put off until the last minute. One time he made a scale replica of the Great Wall of China, constructed completely out of marshmallows and peanut butter.  
As Cassie listened to the stories, two things struck her. The first was that, though his sisters didn't know how gifted their brother was, they loved him very much. The second was that Jake would make the most wonderful father in the world, because he had already raised 4 grown girls.  
They had planned a small dinner with all of Jake's favorites. All through dinner, Cassie got to hear more about Jake's childhood escapes. After the dinner, they dragged Cassie down to the basement to look at the wedding decorations.  
The wedding was naval themed, as Jessica's fiancé was a Chief Petty Officer. Everything was accented with anchors and navy blue. Cassie was happy to admit that it was all very beautiful. Jake was on his way to check on her, when he heard his sisters' line of questioning, and paused at the top of the stairs.  
"When is our brother going to make an honest woman out of you?" Jaime asked.  
"Well, we haven't really talked about it…" Cassie answered nervously.  
"But you want to get married?" asked Jennifer.  
"Someday, you know, if Jake asks me. It's not like… the thing is we haven't been dating that long and I don't want him to ask just because of Will," Cassie explained.  
"So you guys haven't talked about it at all?" Jessica asked, clearly shocked.  
"We didn't really know if either one of us would make it, me and the baby that is. I didn't want to jinx it and he never brought it up, so…"  
"But you would say yes if he asked you, right?" Jasmine asked.  
"If he asked me because he loves me and he couldn't stand to be apart, yeah. I'd say yes," Cassie answered.  
"What kind of wedding would it be?" Jennifer asked.  
There was a pause as Cassie thought for a moment. "I always imagined myself a June bride, you know flowers in my hair, strawberry wedding cake. I know it seems silly, but when I was young I used to watch this old movie with this song about June brides. It was something like,'Oh they say when you marry in June, you're a bride all your life."  
"And the bridegroom that marries in June, gets a sweetheart for a wife," Jessica continued the song without missing a beat.  
"Oh my god, how did you know that?" Cassie asked in shock.  
"Seven Brides For Seven Brothers is a classic," Jessica laughed.  
They all broke into bless your beautiful hide, as Jake snuck back up the stairs with a whole lot on his mind.


	14. The door opened

Chapter 14-  
Over the next few weeks, Jake started to plan. He asked his sisters and everyone at the library to help. When the plans were set, he made his move.  
On June 4th exactly a month after their son was born he woke early. The sun was just starting to peek through the window as Cassie stirred from her sleep. He knew the moment she was truly awake, because she immediately turned to him.  
"Good morning," she grinned.  
"Good mornin' darlin'. Did ya sleep well?"  
"I always sleep well with you next to me," she laughed, moving to get up and check on the baby.  
"Hey, before you go anywhere," he mumbled, pulling her back. "I want to ask you something."  
"Of course, you can ask me anything," she smiled.  
"Cassandra, I love you more than anything else in the world, and I can't imagine my life without you…"  
"OH MY GOD," she yelled her eyes growing to the size of dinner plates as he produced a velvet box.  
"You gotta let me finish."  
She nodded dumbly, tears in her eyes.  
"Will you make me the happiest man in the world, and marry me?" he asked quietly. For his answer, she tackled him. Showering his face with kisses and whispering yes a thousand times. They were interrupted several minutes later by the baby monitor.  
"It sounds like someone wants breakfast," she laughed, pulling away again.  
"You get him set up, and I will make some pancakes for us."  
"Sounds like a plan," she said before slipping into her robe and heading to the nursery. When she joined him in the kitchen, he was plating the pancakes.  
"So, when should we do it?" she asked, as she strapped Will into his bouncy seat.  
"I was thinking," he paused to check his watch. "About five hours from now."  
"Five hours? Are you crazy? We can't plan a wedding that fast," she said looking at him as if he had lost his mind.  
"But if we could, would you do it?" he asked grinning.  
She narrowed her eyes, but gave it some thought.  
"Do you think we're ready?" she asked.  
"I don't know, but here is the thing. I love you Cassie. Why wait for something we should have done a long time ago? All I need is you to be there and it will be my dream wedding," he said honestly.  
"But where would we do it? The court house?"  
"You let me worry about that. You just get a dress and meet me at the annex at two o'clock."  
Though she wasn't sure about his plan, she trusted Jake. So, she packed the baby into the stroller, and went dress shopping. On her way she called Zeke to keep an eye on the baby while she tried on dresses. Knowing that a normal bridal shop probably wouldn't have anything she could wear that day, she met Zeke at a vintage shop.  
She tried on everything that was her size. Eventually, she settled on a tea length lace dress with the palest hint of pink. They were headed to get a cup of coffee, when they passed a jewelry store.  
"Oh god, I forgot about a ring for Jake," she said looking down at the beautiful ring on her finger.  
"I have a few to my place if you want," Zeke offered.  
"Are they stolen?" she asked. When he didn't answer, she shook her head. "I think I'll just buy one."  
They walked into jewelry store and started to look around. After a few minutes, they found the perfect one. Cassie asked for it to be engraved. When it was finished, Zeke said he had somewhere to be, so she said goodbye and headed home. After feeding the baby and herself, and putting him down for a nap, she got ready.  
Her heart beat fast as she looked in the mirror, it wasn't what she imagined as a girl, but she was happy. At exactly 2, she walked into the annex.  
"You look nice," Colonel Baird smiled gently as she picked up Will. "And this little man is pretty dapper himself."  
"Are you trying to make me jealous?" Flynn asked, coming up behind her and tickling the baby's chin.  
"Not much of a competition," Baird teased.  
"Have you guys seen Jake? He was supposed to meet me here," Cassie interrupted.  
"He got held up, but he wanted us to bring you," Baird said, handing the baby to Flynn.  
"Bring me where?" Cassie asked nervously.  
"You'll see," Baird laughed. When they stepped through the door, they were in a field facing a huge barn.  
"Come on, we don't want to be late," Flynn grinned.  
As they walked closer, Cassie recognized Jake's sisters standing outside.  
"What are you guys doing here?" Cassie asked in amazement.  
"This is our grandparents' farm," Jennifer explained.  
"And do you really think we would miss our only brother's wedding?" Jamie asked.  
"Plus, we brought you a gift," Jasmine said, pulling hat box from behind her back.  
"You didn't have to do that," Cassie smiled, tearing up a bit.  
"But you are going to need it if you want to have your dream wedding," Jessica explained.  
Cassie opened the box curiously. Inside, was a beautiful crown of wild flowers. Jamie pulled it out very carefully and placed it on her head.  
"Now, you're ready to join the family," Jennifer pronounced happily.  
Just then the door opened and Ezekiel popped his head out.  
"We are ready in here if everyone wants to go in," he said. Jake's sisters went inside with Flynn, Baird and the baby.  
"Would you do me the honor?" Zeke asked offering her his arm. She looked at him in surprise, and then noticed that he was actually wearing a suit. She took it without a word. When she looked down the aisle, she couldn't stop the tears in her eyes. There he was, the man of her dreams. She felt like she was floating as she walked to him, her eyes never leaving his.  
It wasn't until Ezekiel handed her to Jake that she noticed Jenkins was standing up as the officiant. He said a few words about marriage, before he came to the exchanging of vows.  
"Mr. Stone has opted for nontraditional vows. Go ahead, Mr. Stone," Jenkins said smiling at the two.  
"Cassie, When you need someone to encourage you, I am there. When you need help, I am there. When you long for someone to smile with, smile with me. When you have something to share, share it with me. For with this ring, I give you my heart. I promise from this day forward, you shall never walk alone. May my heart be your shelter, and my arms be your home." As he slid the ring on her finger, he almost leaned down and kissed her, but Jenkins cleared his throat.  
"Miss Cillian, you can use the traditional vows if you'd like," Jenkins offered, knowing that she had been put on the spot.  
"I'm ok," Cassie smiled, pulling Jake's ring from her pocket. "Jake, when you came into my life, I was barely living. You pulled me back together. You ground me. I promise to always see the real you. I promise to accept and love every part of you. I promise to remind you to laugh, when you get too serious. I promise not to keep score, even when I am totally winning. I can't promise to be with you forever, but I do promise to love you forever."  
Once Jake's ring was slid into place, Jenkins pronounced them man and wife. They kissed long before Jenkins gave them permission, and long after.  
That night Jake was spinning his ring around his finger when he felt a slight catch. Slipping it off, he noticed an infinity symbol engraved inside the band.  
"Do you like it?" she asked as she came out of the nursery.  
"I love it. I was surprised though. I just figured that we could buy one after the ceremony," he said, still looking at the engraving.  
"Speaking of which, it seems like you have been busy. There is no way you did all that today," she said, sitting on the couch next to him.  
"I may or may not have heard a certain conversation between you and my sisters a while back. Was it what you dreamt of?" he asked.  
"It was perfect. Thank you for being amazing," she smiled, crawling over to kiss him.  
"Thank you for saying yes."  
The End


End file.
